Starting-motor and compressor.



W. H. SHIMPF.

STARTING MOTOR AND COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1912 1,120,337, Patemeii Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS SHEET 1.

W. IL SHIMPP.

smiumm moms AND mmnisssofi.

APPLICATION BILLIE) NOV. 3, 1912 1,1 20,337. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"A I 9 a m i 73 m i l 1 I .9 Q7 4 77 est i'g vpntor: nfimall Walk y k 1.Q

W. H..SHIMPE.

STTAHT'ING MOTOR AND COMPRESSOR.

APPLIGAIiON IlLED R0124. 1912.

1 1 20,83". Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

In ventor; Maw/751% Atty W. H. SHIMPF. STARTING MOTOR AND COMPRESSOR.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV.4,1912. I 1,1 20,337, "Patented'Dec. 8, 1914 48HEETB-SHEET 4.

Wm .msl tor:

I a w w wk 2 U rrn STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

- WALTER H. SHIMPF, OF New YORK, N. Y., 'iiSSI'G'Non o .SHIMPF STARTERCOMPANY.

or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

STABII NGi-MOTOR AND COMPRESSOR.

Specification or Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914:.

Application filed November 4, 1812, "Serial No. 729,450.

I To all whom it moy concern of NewYoi-k, in'the county of New York 5.and State offiNew York, have invented cerlines 4- ofFig 3.

tain new anduseful Improvements in Starting-Motors and Compressors, ofwhich the following is a description. I

The invention, as indicated, by its title, relates to a combined motorand compressor, that is,"a device which under certain adjustment, act asamotor or prime movedland under a difierent adjustment, wo'uld act as acompressor for compressing a fluid, the compressed force of which may bethereafter utilized for various purposes including the operating of thedevice as a motor. Theobj ects of the invention are ,to provide .,acondensed and complete unit which will he' self-contained and .which byadjustrieht,eitherinanually or automatically, will operate as a drivingnotor or as" a com; pressor. p i

A; furtherobject is to provide a device wherein the valves'ma y beinstantly set in operationWith-reference to the cylinders fortransforming the device from a motor to a' compressor or vice versa.

It is also an obj'ectfof .the invention to provide a cam shaftautomatically actuated, tli o\ 1gli',.under the control of: the user,for varying the action of the valves and to further provide automaticmeans for controlling the' effective operation of the device wherein itmay be driven as a compressor or will drive as a motor or willirun idle..Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is. a diagraimnatic viewillustrative of an application of the deviceto an automobile chassis.Fig. 2 is a detail front elevationion, enlarged scale showing therelative location of the device with-reference, to a gas .engine and theconnections'therefor. Fige3 is a top plan view of the device on enlargedscale with parts-hrokenfaway to showconstruction' Fig. 4 is a sectionalview on the Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 ofFig. Fig. 6 is across sectional view through oneof the cylinders and motor valves. 7view of thegears of the cam shaft illustrating the clutch mechanismappurtenant there to. Fig. 8 is a similar View of the gear of the mainshaft illustrating the automatic Fig. '1 is a;

clutch and the female member of a positive clutch. Fig. 9 is adiagrammatic view 'illus trating. the connection 'sfor controlling the.

apparatus.

The device, while not to its exact use, is hereinillustmtednnd describedin connection with an engine .of the liquid hydro-carbon type such asused on auto-.;. mobiles. In this'connectiom'ii'tis mum; larlyeificacious as 'all' of its-'variouffinc-g tions are brought intooperation, Qbvie:

ously, it may be used wherever it-is desiied to produce stored energy'by. compression.

and thereafterutilize *said energy .throu'g-lr a motor. When used inconnection. vvitlran automobile engine, itcis directly connected withsome moving partof the engine-pref erably its main sh of clutches whichis herein illustrated as au be d'rivenby the engine for the ipurpose oitand through a system. of gearing hereinafterdefined'and a Systemcompressing. fiui'd'into a"'- receiv1ngtenk or will run idle, actingneither, as a motor-nor a compressor. V

As illustrated in Fig.1, .the'chassis 1-. has mounte'djupon it,in theusualimannen, driving engine 2 provided with 'fly wheel 3,

main Shaft 4,-changegear 5 *and reandriv ing axle B. Suitably arrangedupon- ;the

chassis frame is a motor and compressor A, which, as illustrated, is,through a silent chain 7, connected to themain .shafi'tieoiithe enginejust at the rear of'the .fly Wheel 3.

A still further object isto" provide a simple acting device in which by.th'e'shiftin of the cam shaft the various cylinders vi act directly ascompressors was driving )istons utilizing the same valves depen entu'p'on wvhcther said' valves. are adthatcd-by; --the,cain shaft or areactuated at. ioinatically.

The point of connection between the combined motor and compressor andengine Shaft 1S i ,"0f course, jmmaterial -so.long as suclrconnectioninsuresthe proper driving: effect from the motor and compressor A-'tothe engine and from the engine to the motor ai d'compiessoi-. Thecombinedmotor and fessorA is Whatin'ig'ht'well be termed pressor'receive an impulse of movement from the compressed fluid, exhaust at theend of the stroke and discharge the contents of the id smu -motor and amultiple c0m-. inasmuch as the: various pistons operating with the ballvalves38, 39, 4O,v

cylinders during the return stroke without working against thecompressed fluid; and

at the same time when acting as compressors,

compress as individual pistons. The numher and arrangement of cylindersand istons is not an essential of the invention ut for convenience inillustration, three cylinders are illustrated with appurtenant parts.

The engine and compressor a has its parts arranged in a casing having amain section 8 and a crank case section9 with a cylinder section 10suitably mounted upon the main section 8 and with the cylinders providedwith air-cooling flanges 11. A head 12 is suitably secured over thecylinders and is provided with a manifold 13, which, at one end, has aconnection 14 directly to a compression tank 15 through a check-valve 16and at the opposite end is suitably connected through a check valve 17through a duct 18 with the main controlling valve 19 and also with achamber 20 containing a piston 21- which actuates the cam shaft 22 ofthe motor and compressor.

The manifold 13 is directly connected through extensions 23, 24, 25 withvalve chambers 26, 27, 28, which chambers have' ports 29, 30, 31 openinginto the manifold and cylinder ports 32, 33, 34 opening into therespective cylinders 35, 36, 37. Ball valves 38, 39, 40, resilientlyheld to their seats by springs arranged under suitable adjustable capscontrol-the passage of fluid through the valve chambers to and from theports 29 to 31 inclusive and the ports 32 to 34 inclusive.

Each of the cylinders 35, 36, and 37 has ries of ports 49, 50,151, whichare controlled by ball valves 52, 53,'54, said valves conhen the deviceis opera ting'as a motor and serving to release the pressure on the idlelip-stroke of the pistons. These valves are controlled by groovedspindles 55, 56, 57 and whenv raised from their seats, permit passage offluid from he various cylinders through said grooves into the crank casethrough port openings 58, connecting from the cam shaft chamber 59 tothe crank case. The crank case is. provided with a vent 60,

which permits ready ingress and egress of air so that the cyhnders mayreceive a 1 charge of air at atmospheric pressure for controlled intheir liftin' movements b thevalve rods 55, 56, 57 an the valve re s 61,62, 63. The valve rods 61 to 63 inclusive are reduced at their upfperends so that there ,is a free air passage rom the ports 32, 33, 34 tothe ports 29, 30, 31, whenever the ball valves 38, 39, 40 are liftedfrom their seats. It is obvious in the arrangement of parts thatwhenever the valve 19 is in a position illustrated in 'Fig. 9, the airpressure from the tank 15 will be eifective upon the piston 21 and willmove the cam shaft 22 axially until its various cams come under theseveral valve rods. Thereupon at proper intervals, the valves 38, 39,and 40- will be raised to give a driving im ulse to the respectivepistons 41, 42, 43 w ich at the end of their down-strokes exhaustthrouglrports 64. Any pressure induced by the return movement of thepistons is relieved by the opening of the valves 52, 53, 54 which permitan exhaust through the grooved valve rods, cam shaft chamber 59 andports 58.

Whenever the device is changed from a motor to a compressor as is thecase when the valve 19 is turned in its opposite position, the cylinderswill receive their charge of air at atmospheric pressure through theports 64 connecting with the crankcase and vents 60 and upon theirupward or working stroke will compress the fluid, driving it through theports 32,33, 34 and 29, 30 and 3 31 into the manifold and to the tank 15past the check valve 16. During this operation, the exhaust valves 52,53, 54 are seated, as of course the cam shaft upon release of pressurein the chamber20, willbe moved axially as by the compression spring 65until all of the valve rodsare relieved from the action of theirrespective cams and become glecam shaft dependent upon its position"actuates all of the valves when the devlce is operated as a motor orbecomes inactive with respect to all of said valves when the deviceoperates as a compressor. Nevertheless, one series of valves operatesautomatically when the cylinders are compressing.

The cam shaft 22 rotates freely without reference to the piston 21 in abearing 66 formed at one end of the shaft and extends into a pinion. 67at the opposite end, which pinion has a suitable bearing and is so curedto the cam shaft. Thus the cam shaft through a system of gearinghereinafter described is constantly rotated in definite relation to themain shaft it.

The gearing which forms a drive from the motor and compressor to theengine and from the engine to the motor and compressinmay be defined asfollows: The mafn shaft 44 has arranged upon or in COIitiIllfz'gEiOIi ofit a gear 68, provided with an extended hub 69 which. has a bearing inthe casing as at 70. This gear 68 is in constant mesh ith a gear 71carried upon a stud i2 and fast with relation to a pinion 73 whichmeshes with the pinion 67. A sleeve H- is also mounted upon the stu 72and has keyed to it a pinion 75. It also bears a main driving gear 76which, through the silent chain 7, is connected with the main shaft 4 oftheengine 2. The pinion 75 hr -d to the sleeve 74: meshes with a gear 'icarried upon a shiftable clutch shaft- T'o? to which is keyed the pinion68. The shi f table clutch sha ft Te is really a continuation of the('ltiill. shaft. It has a bearing at its outer enil in the asing and atits inner end projects through the central bore of the gear 65 and itsextended hub 69. A key and key-way intermediate i the shaft -section 78and ear .38 causes said shaft to rotate in unison with the crank shaftalthough permitting an axial move ment of the shaft 78. The constructionillustrated with the gear 68 formed integral with the crank shaft andhaving a cen tral bore within which is keyed the end of the shaft 78provides an admirable eonstruction, in which to all purposes and intentsthe shiftablc clutch shaft 78 is a continuation of the crank shaft.

A roller clutch 79 is arranged between the gear 71 and its sleeve 71 anda siu'iilar roller clutch 80 is arranged between the ge'ar T7 and theshiftable clutch shaft 78. The clutch shaft 78 has a clutch member 81which in one position lies within a recess 82 in the gear 68 and in itsopposite position positively engages a clutch opening 83 in the gear 77.The clutch shaft 78 has a sliding key engagement with the gear 68 and iscontrolled as to its position by a lever 64, one end of which isconnected with the clutch shaft 78, while the opposite end is connectedto a plunger 85. This plunger or piston is arranged in a cylinder 86,which has a duct 8? connecting it with the manifold 13. The purpose andfunction of the piston 85 connecting lever 84 and shiftable clutch shaft78 is to release the motor and compressor A-from the driving action ofthe engine as soon as a definite pressure has been secured in thepressure t nil-c when th device is actuated as a coi The piston 8.)whenever the pressure ar rise at a predetermined point will be iihHtdfin'ward against the tension of the spring as, the tension of which istin-tic all justable through a rod 59 and the pos tion of the clutchshaft will be that illustrated in Figs. 3 and -l. As soon as thepressure in the manifold has dropped from its predetermined point, thespring 88 retracts the piston 85 throwing the clutch shaft into theposition illustrated in dotted outlines in Fig. 3, whereupon the positiwclutch 1 will be engaged with the gear 77 hen the device is operating asmotor. the main shaft 44, through the 51- 1 on or integral there ith bithrough the gear 71 ii throng;- clutch 79, drive the short Thencethrough the silent chain 7 ihe shaft of the main engine will be turned.The main engine shaft will be driven until the engirthas picked upthroegh its own ignition and gas supply and attained a speed gri-atcrthan that of the motor and compressor. Therenpon through the silentchain 7, the gear 76, pinion 75, fast upon the sleeve 7-1, gear 77,roller clutch 80 and shaft 78, the main shaft 4m.- will be driven. thedevice acting as a compressor. This driving movement will continue untilthe pressure in the manifold is suiiicient to shift the piston into theposition illustrated in Figs. 3 and t.

It will be seen from the above description that the device eitheroperates as a motor o to drive the engine or will be driven by theengine. hereupon it becomes a compressor and upon a certain degree ofcompi cssion will be automatically cut out. there after. with its gearsrunning idle and with 5 no movement of the pistons. The whole op er .tim is thus made automatic and a single device with its valves isoperative either as a motor or compressor dependent upon the position ofits cam shaft. This cam r 0 shaft is of course controlled by the opera--tor through the valve 1!) which is prefer ably arranged upon the dash ofthe vehicle provided the device is used for starting an automobileengine, Obviously, the pres-- sure induced in the tank 15 may be usedfor any purpose for which compressed fluid is adaptable and with thedevice connected directly with an engine. the source of supplv ofcompressed fluid in the tank 15 is alwa w. 12o maintained.

)bviously. the exact details of the device an exact arrangement ofvalves, etc., might be modified to a consideralfile extent as might alsothe gearing and controlling dc vices without (luau-ting from the spiritor intent of tin vocation which rontemplates i Mi ie device having oneor more is which will operate as a motor or ash compressor utilizingvalves which, un

tor and inoperative with reference to said valves when the device isoperating as a compressor and means for moving said cam shaft.

2. A combined motor and compressor having a cylinder, piston and mainshaft, mechanically operated inlet and exhaust valves for said cylinder,a single cam shaft common to said valves for actuating them during theoperation of the pistonas a motor and inoperative with reference theretowhen the device is operating as a compressor, automatic control for oneof said valves during the compression actions of the piston, an inletport controlled by the piston "and means for moving the cam shaft intoand out of actuating position with the valves.

3. A combined motor and com ressor having a plurality of cylinders eachaving a' piston connected with a main crank shaft, a

manifold connecting the various cylinders, an inlet valve arrangedbetween each of said cylinders and the manifold, said valve mechanicallyoperated during the operation of the device as a motor and automaticallyoperated during the compression movements of the pistons, exhaust valvesfor each cylinder mechanically controlled and operatively arranged withreference to the inlet valves, a single shiftable cam shaft common toboth the inlet and exhaust valves for providing actuation thereof as amotor and inopera tivewith reference to all of said valves during theoperation as a compressor and pneumatic connections for controlling atwill the position of said cam shaft and its operation with reference to,lhe valves.

4. In a device of the character described comprising a plurality-ofcylinders each having a piston with a connecting rod operativelyarranged with reference to a crank shaft,'a manifold connecting thevarious cylinders, a compression reservoir, a check valve at each end ofthe manifold, a shiftable cam shaft, pneumatic means for moving saidshaft, pneumatic connections intermediate the reservoir and saidpneumatic means, an inlet valve controllin .a passage from each cylinderto the manifo d and having mechanical and automatic operations and anexhaust valve for each cylinder controlled by the camshaft.

5. A combined motor and compressor embodying a cylinder, piston and maincrank shaft, an inlet valve mechanically operated during the operationof'the pistdn as a drivmg piston and automatically actuated dur ing theoperation of the piston as a compressor, an exhaust valve mechanicallyactuated during the mechanical operation of the inletva'lve andinoperative during the automatic operation of the inlet valve while thepiston .is acting as a compressor and a single cam shaft common to saidvalves and shiftable into operative and inoperative positions withreference to both of said valves.

6. A combined motor and compressor having a plurality of cylinders, eachprovided with an inlet and exhaust valve, pneumatic means for varyingthe operation of said valves and changing the action of the pistons fromdriving pistons to compressing pistons, a'main crank shaft, a secondaryshaft, gears intermediate said shafts, and clutch devices for varyingthe gear connections whereby the combined motor and compressor willdrive the secondary shaft or be driven thereby.

7. A combined. motor and compressor having a plurality of cylinders,each" provided with an inlet and exhaust valvefpneumatic means forvarying the operation of said valves and changing the action of thepistons from driving pistons to compressing pistons, a main crank shaft,a secondary shaft, gears intermediate said shafts, and clutch devicesfor varying the gear connections whereby the combined motor andcompressor will drive the secondary shaft or be driven thereby as acompressor, and an automatically controlled clutch for disconnecting thegearing intermediate the crank shaft and secondary shaft whereupon thepistons will act neither as driving norcompression pistons.

8. In a device of the character described having driving and compressionpistons, connecting r0 s and a crank shaft having a shiftable clutchshaft in extension thereof, a secondary shaft, a gear on said shaft, agear fast upon the crank shaft and having a slidin key connection withthe shiftable clutch s iaft extension of the crank shaft, a gear looselymounted with reference to the secondary shaft, an automatic rollerclutch intermediate said gear and secondary shaft, a pinion fixed uponsaid secondary shaft, a gear meshing therewith and having an automaticroller clutch connection with the main shaft and a positive clutchintermediate the main shaft and said last-named gear.

9. In a device of the character described having driving and compressionpistons, connecting rods and a crank shaft having an extended shiftableclutch shaft, 9. secondary shaft, a gear on said shaft, :1 gear

